Le Mans experience was full of positives for Winslow despite early finish

It may not have been the dream finish he was hoping for, but James Winslow felt his Le Mans 24 Hour debut was full of positives.

And the racing driver from Witham is already looking forward to a glorious return to one of world motorsport’s most iconic events.

Winslow was living out his childhood dream in competing at the famous Circuit de la Sarthe as he drove the number 41 Zytek-Nissan car in the LMP2 prototype class for the Greaves Motorsport team.

Having qualified as the quickest of the team’s three drivers, Winslow drove the race’s opening two-hour stint and had looked very impressive during his two hours on track as he set the fastest lap in the LMP2 class at the time, but disaster struck once he handed over the wheel to team-mate Michael Munemann.

Munemann was caught out by a crash ahead of him during heavy rain that left the team’s car with chassis damage and it had to be retired with less than three of the 24 hours completed.

However, Winslow felt he had done enough during his time on track to impress and is looking forward to making a return.

He said: “I’ve been racing a long time and my dream has always been to win the Le Mans 24 Hour.

“To stand on that podium at Le Mans would mean as much to me as a Formula One victory.

“It was my childhood dream and has been what I have always wanted so not to finish was desperately disappointing, but there were definitely more positives than negatives to come out of my first time there."